Principal Walker with Rory Tiger, Marshall's Mascot

Transitioning from SOAR to ROAR!

Catalina Capers

CELP: Catalina Environmental Leadership Program.
Student directed and composed film, created in our school's computer Lab using iMovie.

The CELP camp immerses students in a week long science learning experience, including Ecosystems, Oceanography, and Sustainable living. In this case, they learned that their teachers should not taunt the Bison!

This film was created by Joel Han, Sixth Grade Student.

Valley View 6th Grade Trip to Howlands Landing, CELP from Shelley Owen on Vimeo.

Walker's Wanderings

Love to Laugh!

 

Happy Holidays Valley View Families!  It is that magical time of year when we think of others and spread good cheer to all. Have you ever thought about how often you laugh? Research shows that children laugh up to 100 times a day! Adults laugh less than 10 times a day.  That is unfortunate for adults because a good laugh relaxes tense muscles, speeds more oxygen into your system, and lowers blood pressure. No wonder children are so healthy and have so much energy! As we teach children reading, writing, and arithmetic, let’s also teach them that it’s important to have a sense of humor.  Let your children see you smile and laugh.  Write down funny things they say and share them with your friends and family.  Read humorous books.  Watch funny movies now and then.  Learn to laugh at yourself when you make a mistake.  Remember: “You don’t stop laughing because you grow old. You grow old because you stop laughing.” ~Michael Pritchard

Has 2011 moved quickly for you? Will you sit down to your holiday dinner and marvel that, so soon, the New Year, 2012, is upon you? Or will you breathe a sigh of relief and say, “ At last…”  It’s strange how time moves at different speeds for different people in different years.  Of course it all has to do with the challenges we face.  You may wonder how time has slowed to a crawl or maybe you wonder why time moves so quickly.  Whatever way time is flying for you this year, take time to relax, enjoy your family and friends, and remember that the holidays don’t have to be picture perfect to be warm and enjoyable.

            It is tempting to think of holiday breaks as vacation time rather than as opportunities for learning.  Nothing is quite as nice as family and fun during the winter holidays.  These breaks offer children the freedom to try new experiences outside of the structure of the school curriculum.  The trick to helping your child get the most out of these breaks is planning. For kids, new experiences can be more relaxing and refreshing than staying home.  Discuss with your children what areas of interest are most attractive to them.  Use the Internet to find learning opportunities, and plan ahead.  There are hundreds of art, outdoor, music, technology, travel, and other interesting opportunities out there. I encourage you to take advantage of these special times to break up the monotony of the school year with challenging and exciting experiences for your child.

May your family experience true abundance during this holiday season. The entire staff joins me in extending well wishes to you and your family for the holidays and the new year.  During this special time we pause to remember and share goodwill, joy and happiness with others.  Cherish the moments of the season of joy with your children, family and friends. These are the experiences that give richness and meaning to our lives and are to be treasured and fondly remembered in years to come.  Enjoy your family time together during our winter break and return in 2012 rested, healthy, and ready to continue on our educational journey together.

“Giving is the secret of healthy life. Not necessarily money, but whatever a person has of encouragement, sympathy, and understanding.”

 ~John D. Rockefeller Jr.

Warm Wishes,

Mrs. Carla Walker

Read to Succeed!

I am often asked for suggestions on how parents can best assist their child at home.  Since November is Children’s Book Month, here are some suggestions with improving reading skills. Make previewing a habit. Strong readers often engage in the valuable skill of previewing.  When encountering a new book, rather than plunging right into the first chapter, strong readers spend time familiarizing themselves with the content.  They linger on the back cover, study the picture on the front, and thumb their way through the pages.  This overview reveals the main ideas and purpose of the book, as well as its overall structure.  Thus, previewing increases reading comprehension and is an excellent way to increase a student's comfort level with unfamiliar content.  Parents can help students make previewing a healthy habit by modeling the skill and providing guided exercises in which students practice previewing skills and discuss what they have learned.

Here's how to preview a book:

1.Study the front cover.  What do the title and the artwork on the cover indicate?  Is there an author or an editor?

2.Read the back cover.  What is the main idea or the general plot?  What have reviewers said?

3.Read the inside cover flap.  What additional details does it share?  Can you make a prediction about what will happen based on what it says?

4.Is there a short biography of the author?  What is the author's expertise and experience?

5.Find the copyright date.  When was the book written?  How might that affect the content?

6.Survey the table of contents.  What is the structure of the book?

7.Determine which chapters look the most interesting or important.

8.Are there any charts, graphs, pictures, or glossaries that give important clues?

9.Is there an introduction or preface?  What does it highlight?

Taking the time to preview a book in this way will familiarize the reader with the content and improve overall comprehension.

November is a wonderful time to focus on being thankful. Students often engage in classroom activities dealing around the theme of thankfulness during November.  It is important for all of us to express our thanks to those people who have made a difference in the lives of our children and family. I would like to personally thank each and every Valley View family and staff member for providing an outstanding and enriching environment for our students as well as your continued support of our educational programs

At Thanksgiving, the table is resplendent with turkey and trimmings, people smile at each other across the table, and family bonds are made stronger. In the United States, Thanksgiving Day has a flavor all its own, and we’re not just talking about cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie!  We give thanks for the many blessings we receive during the year, but we also commemorate a historic event.  We have turkeys to eat and Pilgrims to recreate in our plays.  We remember and honor the Indians who helped the Pilgrims survive.  And we mark the foundation of a society in which citizens elect leaders democratically and make laws based on the ideals of fair play and freedom.                                                                                                                                                  *Adapted from Cut & Paste; Vol. 3, No.9

“We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future.”

 ~ Franklin D. Roosevelt

With Thanks,

Mrs. Carla Walker

Valiant Says, "Safety First!"

Safety is one of our top priorities at Valley View. Drills are practiced with staff and students on a monthly basis to ensure everyone understands our procedures.  The Safety Committee revises our procedures on a yearly basis and submits our Safety Plan to the district and state who reviews the procedures for specific content. All classes have special red backpacks containing various first aide materials to be used during evacuations. We have specific procedures for evacuation during an earthquake and fire drill as well as lockdown procedures in the event of an unsafe situation on or near our campus. In addition, each classroom submits verification forms during all drills to account for all students and adults on campus at any given time. Safety Inspectors hired by the district observe our simulations and provide suggestions to the staff to improve our process. In addition, the Glendale Fire Department observes our fire drills to ensure the exit routes taken by classes are the quickest and safest for evacuating.

Twice yearly, we practice a disaster simulation where our search and rescue team assesses the campus and the student release center is set up Our first disaster simulation will be October 20^th at 12:50 PM as part of California’s Great Shake Out 2011.

         Speak to your children regarding safety procedures and assure them that all adults will make sure they are safe at all times on our campus.  If parents are on campus any time the alarm sounds it is important to follow staff members and evacuate as well. It is imperative that ALL adults sign in when on campus so that we can account for you in the event of an emergency. You may evacuate to the field or to the sidewalk outside our gates, whichever is closest. Please do not stay behind in classrooms or workrooms nor hinder the evacuation process by trying to find out what happened.  Please make sure to take care of yourself and allow our trained staff to secure the children in an orderly manner. 

         Unfortunately, we still have many parents driving unsafely through our drive thru lane and around our campus despite receiving tickets from the Glendale Police for speeding, talking on a cell phone, parking in the red, blocking driveways, making an illegal U-turn, and hitting parked cars! Drive slowly and obey all traffic rules when driving by our school. We have two crossing guards to assist your children as well as an organized drive thru lane for children to exit and enter cars safely. If you witness an unsafe driver, please contact our office immediately so that we can report the driver directly to the Traffic Officer assigned to our school. We will need a description of the vehicle and license plate. Our children are priceless. Prevent an accident or tragedy now!

“Safety First" is "Safety Always."  ~Charles M. Hayes

Sincerely,

Mrs. Carla Walker